Bird News Around the Web

• Hummingbirds 101  
• Merlin Bird ID App  The Merlin Bird ID app for iOS7 and Android OS4 devices is available for free from the Cornell Lab.  It asks five simple questions about the bird seen and then gives a short list of the most likely possibilities.  The app currently covers 400 species, and has 2,000 photos and 1,000 songs and calls to help you confirm your ID. Click to download.
• Vultures in Africa and Europe could face extinction within our lifetime warn conservationists
• Federally Protected Birds at Risk from Expansion of Wind Development Near Lake Michigan
• The 1,300 Bird Species Facing Extinction Signal Threats to Human Health

Access to River Lakes Conservation Area

By David Simpson of BirdingWithDavidSimpson.com

I visited River Lakes Conservation Area (the St. John's River Water Management District property west of Viera Wetlands and the Click Ponds) today.  I had a conversation with a couple Brevard County Sherriffs about some recent issues in this area.  They asked me to pass on some wisdom to the birding community.  So here it is in a nutshell:

1. The road is private, not public
2. There is an easement for public access to River Lakes Conservation Area
3. The easement does not allow for vehicles to stop along the way.
4. Duda Ranch can revoke this easement.
5. The gate at the east end (by the Click Ponds) closes at 7PM.
6. It doesn't matter if you don't understand or agree with the above, because you don't own the property and don't get to make decisions as to how it is used (my words, not theirs.)

There have been problems lately with people stopping and trespassing (and poaching) from the road.  A common practice of poachers is to drop someone off on the road then pick them up later after they have done their thing.  The ranch workers don't have time to track down people who are stopping along the road to see if they are up to no good.  Also, people have been out at the end of the road at 7PM when the east gate closes.  The ranch owners or St. Johns staff then end up fielding calls from people wanting to be let out.  It's not their job to handle people being locked in, it is your responsibility to be all the way out by 7PM.

The Sherriffs don't want to have to write up trespass tickets and Duda Ranch does not necessary want to revoke the easement, but it may come to that if people continue to abuse the privilege of driving this road.

New study reveals why many migratory birds don't fly in straight lines

Reprinted from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology newsletter

Ithaca, N.Y.—Migratory songbirds enjoy the best of both worlds—food-rich summers and balmy winters—but they pay for it with a tough commute. Their twice-a-year migrations span thousands of miles and are the most dangerous, physically demanding parts of their year.

Surprisingly, for many North American species the best route between summer and winter homes is not a straight line, according to new research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. In spring, the study shows, birds follow areas of new plant growth—a so-called “green wave” of new leaves and numerous insects. In fall, particularly in the western U.S., they stick to higher elevations and head directly southward, making fewer detours along the way for food.

"We're discovering that many more birds than anyone ever suspected fly these looped migrations, where their spring and fall routes are not the same," said Frank La Sorte, a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "And now we're finding out why—they have different seasonal priorities and they're trying to make the best of different ecological conditions."

The research—the first to reveal this as a general pattern common to many species—may help land managers improve conservation efforts by improving their understanding of how birds use habitat seasonally.

The Rufous Hummingbird and Lazuli Bunting are two of the 26 western species in the study. Rufous Hummingbird by Lois Manowitz (download full resolution); Lazuli Bunting by Todd Steckel (download full resolution).

“All this information helps us understand where we should focus conservation across time,” La Sorte said. “Then we can drill down and make local and regional recommendations. In the West particularly, the systems are very complicated, but we’re starting to build a nice foundation of knowledge.”

In a 2013 study, La Sorte and his colleagues discovered that many species of North American birds flew looping, clockwise migration routes. But they could only partially explain why. For eastern species, it was clear from atmospheric data that the birds were capitalizing on strong southerly tailwinds in spring over the Gulf of Mexico and less severe headwinds in fall. By adding the effect of plant growth, the new study helps explain why western species also fly looped routes.

 

The Wood Thrush and Black-throated Blue Warbler are two of the 31 eastern species in the study. Wood Thrush by Kelly Colgan Azar (download full resolution); Black-throated Blue Warbler by Mitch Vanbeekum (download full resolution).

The study examined 26 species of western birds, including the Rufous Hummingbird and Lazuli Bunting, and 31 species of eastern birds such as the Wood Thrush and Black-throated Blue Warbler. Birds on both sides of the continent showed a strong tendency to follow the flush of green vegetation in spring.

In the relatively continuous forests of the eastern U.S. this tight association with green vegetation persisted all summer and into fall. In the West, however, green space occurs along rivers and mountains, and is often isolated by expanses of desert or rangeland.

“Western migrants can’t necessarily cross big stretches of desert to get to the greenest habitat when it’s the most green,” La Sorte said. “So in spring, they stick to the foothills where insects are already out. But in fall they tend to migrate along browner, higher-elevation routes that take them more directly south.”

For decades scientists have known that some herbivorous species, including geese and deer, follow the “green wave” of spring vegetation on their northward migrations. La Sorte’s study is the first to extend that idea to insectivorous species, which are tiny (most weigh an ounce or less) and much harder to study using tracking devices.

The researchers solved that problem by using sightings data—lots of it—to substitute for tracking data. They analyzed 1.7 million crowdsourced bird checklists from eBird, a free online birding-list program, to construct a detailed picture of species occurrence for each week of the year. Then they used satellite imagery to determine the ecological productivity—or amount of new plant growth—across the U.S.

What emerged was a composite picture of where each species occurred, week by week, that the scientists then compared with satellite-derived estimates of where the greenest or most productive habitats were.

“Up till eBird data became available, people have had to look at migration on a species by species basis, by tracking individual birds,” La Sorte said. “We’re bringing in the population perspective using big data, and that’s enabling us to describe general mechanisms across species.”

In addition to La Sorte, the paper’s authors include Daniel Fink, Wesley Hochachka, and Steve Kelling of the Cornell Lab, and John DeLong of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. The research was supported in part by grants from Leon Levy Foundation, Wolf Creek Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Related research on looped migration strategies:

• Crowdsourced Data Reveal Feats of Bird Migration for 102 Species
• Flyways for Flyweights: Small Birds Capitalize on Weather Patterns During Epic Migrations

BP Found Grossly Negligent

Brown Pelican (Photo by Stephen Kent / Audubon Photo Awards) Reprinted from Audubon Advisory Last week, a federal judge found that BP is guilty of gross negligence for its role in the disastrous 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the company will owe the maximum fines under the Clean Water Act, potentially up to $18 billion. At least 80 percent of these fines will be funneled directly into environmental restoration, per the RESTORE Act, a landmark law that Audubon staff and members were essential in passing. Read more →

New Video: Birds and Climate Change

Reprinted from the Audubon Chapter Leader Update In case you missed it, check out this incredible video illustrating what global warming is doing to our beloved birds. Bird lovers everywhere love this video and are sharing it with others—more than 3,900 views so far. Now it’s your turn. Spread the word that climate change is the No. 1 threat to birds by sharing this video with your Chapter members, friends, and family—and ask them to share it with others. Together we can reach 10,000 views! There are several ways to share the video: Facebook: Follow this link and click the “share” button to post the piece on your personal profile and/or on your Chapter’s page. Twitter: Follow this link and hit the “retweet” button. Include a link to the YouTube video in an email to your Chapter members. The video makes for great e-newsletter content or could be used in a standalone message about Audubon’s work on climate change. You can hyperlink directly to the video using the URL here. Let us know what you’re hearing from people when they see the video and how we can help you tell the story of these birds moving forward. Contact Lynsy Smithson-Stanley.

RESTORE Sign-on letter to Gov. Scott

By Jonathan Webber, Conservation Campaign Manager, Audubon Florida

The 2010 Gulf Oil Spill had a devastating effect on Florida’s environment and economy. As a passionate Audubon member and Gulf advocate, you likely appreciate and understand that our environment IS our economy. Many businesses located all along the Gulf Coast felt the effects of the spill first-hand.

BP and the other responsible parties are required to compensate business owners for economic losses and also required to pay fines for polluting the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the funds generated by these fines will be coming back to the Gulf Region (including Florida Gulf communities) thanks to a law called the RESTORE Act.

As RESTORE Act funds become available, Florida’s business leaders have a chance to make the Gulf whole again.

Their voices  are needed to make sure the State of Florida uses these funds on good projects that restore the health of the Gulf Coast. A letter to Governor Rick Scott is being circulated that says just that – but your help is needed to make sure local businesses are aware of this opportunity.

Please take a moment to think about names of businesses in your area that you think would be interested in signing on to this letter. Restaurants, marinas, retail shops, consultants, real estate, eco-tourism related outfits – almost every business in Florida is directly affected by our coastal tourism.

Make a list of business names, their city, and owner name and phone number (if you have it) and send it back to jsulek@audubon.org. Audubon representatives will then contact these businesses.

If you are a business owner and you would like to sign, please visit http://floridagulfbusinessletter.com/ and add  your name!

Thank you for your commitment to Florida’s Gulf.

You can view the letter to Governor Scott, who will ultimately approve many of the restoration projects, here: http://goo.gl/sHvb8V

State of the Birds 2014 Finds Aridland Habitats Rapidly Degrading

Reprinted from the American Bird Conservancy

Bird science and conservation groups, and federal agencies have come together to publish State of the Birds 2014—the most comprehensive review of long-term trend data for U.S. birds ever conducted. The full report can be found at stateofthebirds.org.

State of the Birds assessed population trends in seven key habitats and finds bird populations declining in arid lands (deserts and sagebrush), grasslands, eastern and western forests. Birds in fragile aridland habitats show the steepest population declines in the nation with a 46 percent loss in the population of these birds since 1968. Habitat loss and fragmentation, energy development, hydrological alteration, overgrazing and conversion to agriculture are the largest threats.

These are also significant threats in the nation’s grasslands, where the report notes a decline in breeding birds, like the Eastern Meadowlark and the Bobolink, of nearly 40 percent since 1968. That decline, however, appears to have leveled off since 1990—a result, the authors say, of the significant investments made in grassland bird conservation.

There are some encouraging signs for many species in grasslands, wetlands and several other key habitats that have benefited from targeted conservation efforts. In general, development is squeezing shorebirds and their habitat along the coasts. However, among the 49 coastal species examined, there has been a steady rise in populations of 28 percent since 1968. This may be a reflection of the establishment of 160 national coastal wildlife refuges and nearly 600,000 acres of national seashore in ten states.

New Watch List Identifies Most Endangered Bird Species

Included in the new State of the Birds report is an updated Watch List of Birds of Conservation Concern available at http://www.stateofthebirds.org/extinctions/watchlist.pdf.

The 230 species on the U.S. list are currently endangered or at risk of becoming endangered without significant conservation. Forty-two of them are pelagic (open ocean) species. Birds like the Laysan’s Albatross and Black-footed Albatross are facing increasing levels of oil contamination, plastic pollution and greatly reduced amounts of prey fish due to commercial fishing operations. More than half of all U.S. shorebird species are on the Watch List, including the Piping Plover, Long-billed Curlew and Red Knot. Loss of habitat and uncontrolled hunting in the South America and Caribbean are some of their biggest threats. 

One of the more dire groups on the Watch List is made up of the 33 Hawaiian forest species, 23 of which are listed as federally endangered. The report’s authors have deemed Hawai’i the “bird extinction capital of the world”—no place has had more extinctions since human settlement. Another group on the Watch List will require international cooperation: neotropical migrants. These species that breed in North America but migrate south of the U.S. border in winter hold 30 spots on the Watch List.

State of the Birds Outreach

Webinar - The State of the Birds 2014 Report: Science and Conservation Applications

Learn about the key findings in the 2014 report, the science behind those results, and what it all

means for bird conservation. Speakers include Ken Rosenberg, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Allison Vogt, AFWA

• Ø  When: Wednesday, September 17^th from 1:00-2:30pm eastern
• Ø  To Join: http://mat.adobeconnect.com/sotbscience/ and call 209-255-1000 with passcode 151959#.   If calling from CAN, dial (605) 562-3115 with passcode 151959# and from MEX dial  +52 (01) 899 274 8400 with passcode 151959#

Webinar - Communicating the State of the Birds: Tools and Tactics for Sharing Messages from the 2014 Report

Presented in conjunction with the Bird Education Alliance for Conservation

Learn about the key findings in the 2014 report along with the communications tools available for your use. Ken Rosenberg, Cornell Lab of Ornithology; other speakers TBA

• Ø  When: Wednesday, October 1^st  from 1:00-2:30pm eastern
• Ø  To Join: http://mat.adobeconnect.com/sotbandbeac/and call 209-255-1000 with passcode 151959#. If calling from CAN, dial (605) 562-3115 with passcode 151959# and from MEX dial  +52 (01) 899 274 8400 with passcode 151959#

Wildflower Symposium at Bok Tower

Wildflower Symposium - it's almost here!

A week from now, nature lovers from all over the state will arrive at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales to enjoy the 2014 Florida Wildflower Symposium's garden explorations, field trips, workshops and presentations.

Only a few spaces remain for this year's event - is one of them yours?

Here's a sampling of what you could be enjoying:

• Dinner with nationally acclaimed author and naturalist Doug Tallamy.
• Explorations of some of Polk County's finest natural jewels, including The Nature Conservancy's Tiger Creek Preserve (pictured).
• Bok Tower Gardens' Wildflower Day, which includes free films, walks and other activities.
• Free admission to Bok Tower Gardens, and so much more.

What are you waiting for? Join us on Sept. 19 and 20.

Click to make your reservations now!

Choosing Our Legacy: Understanding Amendment 1

The necessary votes have been achieved to have Water & Land Legacy Act placed on the ballot for voter approval. Please join Space Coast Audubon and many more supporting organizations as we all learn the ins and outs of Amendment 1 and why this is a good amendment for protecting our rivers, lakes and streams, Guest speaker is US Senator and Florida Governor Bob Graham.

Florida Keys Hawkwatch Field Trip

I will be leading a field trip to the Florida Keys Hawkwatch October 10-13, 2014 for the fall migration.  As some of you know I worked the 2008 field season as a raptor observer and the 2011-2012 seasons as co-coordinator and raptor observer.  The trip can be reduced to 3 days if that is what the consensus wants.
We will need 6-7 hours to get to Grassy Key so I was figuring on 1 day to drive, 1 or 2 days at the hawkwatch and 1 day to drive home.  Also by staying an extra day that would give folks who don't want to spend 2 full days at the hawkwatch the opportunity to have a day to explore the Keys.  But I see a minimum of 3 days at least.  

A little history of the Florida Keys Hawkwatch:

The hawkwatch ran from 1999-2008 and then in 2009 the funding ceased.  There was no season in 2009.  In 2010 the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) funded the hawkwatch due to the possibility of losing 10 years of data and having to start all over again at square one.  In 2011 myself and a board member of the Tropical Audubon Society joined forces to secure funding from various organizations and also bring aboard Leica Sport Optics as the official optics provider of the Florida Keys Hawkwatch.  Space Coast Audubon along with Tropical Audubon and the Florida Keys Audubon have been supporters all 3 years and once again SCAS will be a sponsor for the hawkwatch. 

I wanted to post this trip now so anyone interested would be able to have as much lead time as possible so as to plan if so desired.  I would like to show folks firsthand what goes on at a hawkwatch and the amount of work that goes into making it a success.  I have picked this weekend because historically this is the peak weekend.  The season runs from September 15-November 13.  In case folks don't know this is the  #1 site, in the world, to see Peregrine Falcons.  During the 2008 season our 3 person team broke the single day world record by counting 638 Peregrine Falcons on October 11th.  During the 2012 season that record was broken on October 10th when 651 were counted in one day.  In addition, the seasonal world record was broken following the 2012 season with 3,836 and again following the 2013 season with 4,010.  Although
the Peregrine Falcon steals the show there is the possibility of seeing up to 15 different raptors.  If folks want to read about the 2013 hawkwatch check out www.floridakeyshawkwatch.wordpress.com for their daily blog entries. You will also be able to see various other migrants as they pass the the site. 

I have arranged to book lodging at The White Sands Inn (whitesandsinn.com) on Grassy Key.  The Inn is 1 1/2 miles from Curry Hammock SP the site of the hawkwatch.  It is approximately 6 mile north of Marathon so there are plenty of restaurant options.  In addition, at The White Sands Inn some of the rooms are equipped with kitchens or kitchenettes depending on the room.  That way folks can make arrangements
to share a room.  The room rates range from $70-$140.  This discount is due to the White Sands Inn being the official Inn of the hawkwatch and I know the owners and have personally stayed there for many years. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean and has a pool.  If interested contact me at beachbirder@bellsouth.net so I can start a list of interested folks.  I'm sure we will have to put down a deposit to reserve the rooms so I will take care of making all those arrangements.

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.

Jim Eager
beachbirder@bellsouth.net
423-593-0059 cell
Space Coast Audubon Society
Vice President
Program/Publicity Chair

World Birding Rally in Peru

World Birding Rally Nor Amazon 2014

From May 12th to 20th, four teams with renowned birders from United States, South Africa and United Kingdom will travel through the Nor Amazon route in search of the many bird species that habit this area. Organized by Inkaterra and PromPerú, the fourth edition of the World Birding Rally covers a 1503-km search area across twelve life zones, from coastal Lambayeque to Amazonian San Martin. It is the second time that the intense challenge follows this 8-day itinerary, which allowed last year’s teams to register a total of 864 species (10% of all bird species throughout the world), with 34 endemics among them. 

The World Birding Rally is an effort to sponsor Peru’s potential as one of the world’s most exciting locations for birdwatching. It also raises awareness on the environment, and contributes with the economic growth in underdeveloped areas through sustainable tourism.

 Space Coast Audubon's David Simpson is one of 4 team members on the Surbound team. 

Team Members L-R:  David Simpson, Alfredo Begazo(Team Leader), Adam Kent & Tim Towles.

Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our May 16th Meeting: Potluck Dinner and Auction

The May meeting is a gathering of folks for a good ole fashion potluck dinner and auction to raise money for education.  Bring your checkbooks and cash and be ready to pounce on the items that might tickle your fancy. Usual auction items are many bird related field guides and books that are just dying to be added to someone’s library.  You never know what might be dying to be snatched up.  In the past there have been knick knacks, various artwork including paintings, photographs and also bird feeders and plants.

Conjure up a new favorite concoction or bring your favorite dish and come join us for some great eats.  Swap some of your favorite birding stories whether it be that elusive nemesis bird you discovered or the one that is still eludes you after many attempts to chase.  Always great friendship and a good time had by all.

This will be our last meeting, for the season, until we come together again on September 19, 2014.   And remember although we don’t meet in June, July and August and it’s the dog days of birding, so to speak, you never know when a trip might pop up during the summer.  So check the Limpkin blog and the listserv at www.spacecoastaudubon@yahoogroups.com from time to time.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all general meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. in Calvin Hall at the Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Drive (on the corner of Orange Ave) Rockledge, FL. 

Battle in the Yard

By Matt Heyden

On a hot day last week, I was working at the kitchen table, and watching the bird baths and feeders.  Under the mulberry tree I saw a disturbance.  I run a peaceful establishment here, so no barroom brawls allowed.  In the binocs, I see two of my largest gopher tortoises duking it out.  I watched for about 10 minutes, and it got more and more violent.  We have 5 of these pets on the property, but I can't tell them apart.  So, I didn't know what the battle was about, or even who came out of the closest hole.  What to do?  Finally, I realize it's getting serious, so I go out and slowly approach them.  They stand their ground, stop and both look at me.  I explain that I don't approve, and have bent over backward to accomodate them and all of their friends.  The property now looks like a bombing range!  I have no dogs, cats or kids.  The least they can do is share.  So, I decide not to move either of them, as I don't know who belongs where.   I swear I heard one of them say:  "never mind him, he has no idea whatsoever what really goes on in his yard when he's not looking, and he's just a tree hugger!!!"
I go back inside to finish my work, but can't help but watch.  It gets much more violent with both on their hind legs, and then one winds up on its back.
I have to make a decision.  Leave him on his back in the hot sun or not?  The poor guy was desperately fighting to get back over, but couldn't.  Now this is killing me, as I love all five of them.  Do I get involved, or let him bake?  I'm not going to tell you today what happened.  But think about this, as I don't know which of these tortoises belongs where.  What would you do?

…

We pick up here with one of my large gopher tortoises, now on its back backing in the hot sun.  No matter what he did, he couldn't right himself.  I had to make a decision.  My choices:

1.  let nature take its course.  If he bakes, he bakes.
2.  intervene, rescue him and move him somewhere else, but where?  What if this was his territory? What if he was actually not one of mine?

After watching him bake for about 2 hours, his legs stopped moving.  Yeah, like I would let that happen to one of my outdoor pets!  No, that's not what happened!  By the time I made my decision, option 1 or option 2, (which I won't tell you which one I chose)  something else happened, which I never would have believed.   The tortoise was on his back for all of 90 seconds.  The other tortoise re-positioned himself and charged with its head down, like a bull dozer.  In one crash, the tortoise on its back was flipped back on its feet, as if it were some kind of demolition derby.  The poor guy just stood there kind of stunned.  The winning tortoise then backs up, moves to the rear of the recovering tortoise, and charges again.  He was going to shove the tortoise far, far, away.  After the third crash, the recovering tortoise, ran, and I mean ran away. He proceeded to go through the thick vegetation at the property line, and under the fence to the property next door.
     So, peace has returned to the kingdom, or so I want to think.  However, after having 3 nights of barred owl visits, I can only find one rabbit.  It's almost like they can fly away.......naw.

Nature on the Net

• If Marjory Stoneman Douglas had had video, I'll bet she would have produced something like this about the Everglades. Bill Belleville & Co. at Equinox Documentaries are working on a wonderful new video about our springs; Click here to watch the trailer.
• This Bill Gates Infographic Reveals The World's Deadliest Animal — And It's Not Even A Close Race
• Chile turns to owls to combat fatal disease
• Fish Crows: Egg Thieves
• Male Eurasian Jays Surprise Ornithologists
• Blue-Footed Booby Threatened in the Galápagos
• Forest Jewel: Black-throated Blue Warbler
• Eagle Steals a Camera and Creates One-of-a-Kind Film

Save-the-Date: Audubon Assembly - October 17-18, 2014 - Hutchinson Island

Date: Oct. 17-18, 2014
Location: Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina

Audubon staff and volunteers are hard at work preparing this year's programs and events. Please stay tuned in the coming months for additional information, including registration material, Assembly theme announcement, field trip details, prices, and guest speakers.

Don't miss what is sure to be the best Assembly yet, mark October 17-18 on your calendars right now!
See you in October!

Birds of the Indian River Lagoon Presentation

Patricia Tierney, Naturalist, Sams House at Pine Island Conservation Area

Pelican Island Audubon Society office manager and wildlife photographer Bob Montanaro will provide a photo presentation titled:  "The Birds of the Indian River Lagoon" on Saturday, June 7th at 10am at the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program's historic education center, Sams House at Pine Island.  Join us in the air-conditioned cabin as Bob takes us on a photo journey up and down the IRL, capturing the beauty of our diverse bird residents and migrants.  This hour-long presentation is free to the public.  Sams House at Pine Island is located north of SR 528 at 6195 North Tropical Trail, Merritt Island, FL 32953.  Call 321-449-4720 with questions.

Photographic proof of a very unlikely event

Dee Fairbanks Simpson

A few weeks ago, someone asked here if there are hummingbirds nesting in Brevard County. I responded, telling her about the hummingbird nest that was directly above our booth at the Enchanted Forest Earth Day celebration a few years back.

Up until yesterday, that was the only hummingbird nest I'd ever seen. So, David and I were teaching beginning birding at the Women in the Outdoors festival yesterday, when David noticed a hummingbird... going in and out of a nest directly above our booth. What on earth are the chances of that happening not once, but TWICE in my life?? It is pretty unbelievable, so I posted a blog of both the EF nest as well as the WITO one:

http://www.deederange.net/2014/04/extremely-unlikely-events.html

2014 Legislative Session Report: Florida's water set to become big issue of 2015

Reprinted from the Audubon Advocate

The 2014 Florida Legislative Session has come and gone and will be scored as a major success for Audubon Advocates. Every time you raised your voice in opposition, bad bills died.
You signed a petition in opposition to hydraulic fracturing and the two bills relating to that came to a screeching halt. You let everyone know you were fed up with bills that weakened or destroyed environmental protection and bills ceased to move through committees.
From the beginning of session and all throughout, we heard that next year will be the year for water policy issues as the incoming leadership prefers to address those important topics at the 2015 Session. If this year was any kind of dress rehearsal, then no doubt we are ready. And fired up.
The 2014 Legislative Session brought out many new supporters as Senators and Representatives alike began to understand the need to address some of the state’s critical water quality problems. Senator Joe Negron (R-Palm City) led the way with the creation of the Senate Select Committee on the Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee Basin last summer which resulted in record funding for this area and many Everglades projects as well.
Also in the Senate, an impressive “Gang of Five” consisting of Senator David Simmons, Senator Charlie Dean, Senator Wilton Simpson, Senator Bill Montford and Senator Alan Hays put their best effort into launching a Springs bill, only to have it refused in the House. The good news here is that Senate President Elect Andy Gardiner has stated that he intends to see this through next year when he becomes President of the Senate. Here’s hoping Speaker Designate Steve Crisafulli is more receptive to the need for this bill next year as well.
The 2014 session was marked by a budget surplus and the ever present awareness of upcoming elections in the fall. While we had some disappointments such as the decreased funding for Florida Forever, all in all it was a good session for Florida's environment. Thank you for your continued support.

 Next year will be the year of water policy.With your help, we will be ready.

Flyways for Flyweights: Small Birds Capitalize on Weather Patterns During Epic Migrations

Reprinted from Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Blackpoll Warbler by Brian Sullivan.

In one of the greatest feats of endurance in the biological world, millions of tiny songbirds—many weighing less than an ounce—migrate thousands of miles to Central and South America each year. Now scientists are finding out how these featherweights do it: using elliptical routes that take advantage of prevailing wind patterns to save calories. “Most of what we’ve known about migration routes comes from ducks and geese,” said Frank La Sorte, a Cornell Lab of Ornithology research associate and lead author of a new paper in Journal of Biogeography. “But terrestrial birds are much smaller and they aren’t reliant on the same kinds of habitats. There really isn’t a narrow migration path for them, and they aren’t necessarily in the same place in spring and fall.”   American Redstart, one of the songbird species identified in the study as part of an Eastern migratory flyway. Photo by Brian Sullivan. Scientists for years could do little but assume songbirds followed the same well-defined “flyways” that ducks, geese, and shorebirds use to travel up and down the continent: one flyway along each coast, one up the Mississippi River valley, and one in the center of the continent. Those flyways were delineated by compiling leg-band recoveries and hunter records—techniques that don’t work for small songbirds that migrate at night. The new work solved this problem with a fresh approach and crowdsourced data submitted to the Cornell Lab’s eBird project between 2004 and 2011. The researchers analyzed thousands of sightings to develop, for each of 93 species, an aggregate picture of where a species is during spring and fall migration. Although they weren't tracking individual birds, collectively the sightings gave them an indication of how the species were migrating. They then used computer models to sort species with similar movement patterns into groups. They also compared migration routes with seasonal patterns of prevailing winds at night. The study revealed that most land birds fit into three main groups, a Western group consisting of 31 species, a Central group of 17 species, and 45 species in an Eastern group (examples include the Black-throated Gray Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow, and American Redstart, respectively). The researchers kept the term “flyway” to retain the analogy to waterfowl movements, but they noted these flyways are much more spread out across the continent, and routes in the Central and Eastern groups overlap considerably. The analysis also revealed that many more land birds than previously realized follow different routes in spring and fall—particularly in the East, where many species cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single overnight flight. Unlike waterfowl, which migrate north and south along the same relatively narrow routes, rather like semi-trucks on an interstate, songbirds are more like passenger cars touring back roads. They are less tied to a single habitat than waterfowl, so they can fan out across the continent. Many species in the Eastern and Central groups take southbound routes far to the east of their northbound routes, resulting in a clockwise migration loop that puts some of them out over the Atlantic Ocean on their way to their wintering grounds.   Blackpoll Warblers migrate along different routes in spring and fall. The new study shows many other songbirds migrate in similar elliptical routes. Photo by Brian Sullivan.  By shifting routes, birds are taking advantage of stronger tailwinds in spring and less severe headwinds in fall, the study’s analysis of prevailing winds found. Tailwinds represent a huge advantage for birds heading back to their breeding grounds, La Sorte said, while finding weaker headwinds in fall allows southbound birds to make the best of a bad situation. The pattern has been noted in the past for a few species, such as the Blackpoll Warbler, but this study gives the first indication of how widespread it is among land birds. The findings may help refine ideas about how and where to plan for conservation along migratory pathways. “All these species migrate at night, at high altitudes, where we can’t see them,” La Sorte said. “But when the sun comes up in the morning they have to find somewhere to land. So any new knowledge about where they’re traveling is valuable to conservation planners.” In addition to La Sorte, the paper’s authors include Daniel Fink, Wesley Hochachka, Andrew Farnsworth, Amanda Rodewald, Kenneth Rosenberg, Brian Sullivan, David Winkler, Chris Wood, and Steve Kelling, all of the Cornell Lab. The research was supported by grants from the Leon Levy Foundation, the Wolf Creek Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

State Budget Includes Record Amounts for Everglades

Tamiami Trail Bridge, Indian River Lagoon, and more get much needed attention from the Florida Legislature.

The 2014 Florida Legislature is poised to finalize the 2015 budget and the Everglades is getting record amounts, including a whopping $90 million three-year commitment to match federal funds for Tamiami Trail bridging. The budget also funds a range of important projects and programs for the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and estuaries.
Other Everglades items include $40 million for the C-44 reservoir project to help reduce harmful discharges to the St. Lucie Estuary, $32 million for the state’s Everglades Water Quality Plan, and $18 million for the C-43 reservoir to help improve the health of the Caloosahatchee Estuary. The budget also funds a number of projects to store and clean water throughout the Northern Everglades and estuaries.
While not giving specific numbers, the budget states that funds may be increased or decreased to expedite the completion of the Kissimmee River Restoration, C-111 South Dade, and the Picayune Strand restoration projects. These are three top priority projects which will help restore the flow of water from the Northern Everglades south to rehydrate Florida Bay, and rehydrate wetlands.
Audubon acknowledges the Everglades Foundation for their leadership to increase Everglades funding. We will continue to advance the construction and operation of these projects through vigorous advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels.
This record Everglades budget is due in part to Senator Joe Negron (R-Palm City) who convened a Select Senate Committee that held public hearings and recommended many of the projects in the budget. 

Please click here to more information on Greater Everglades appropriations.